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Narikatonite Empire
The Narikatonite Empire http://classic.particracy.net/viewnation.php?nationid=13, (Narik: Imperia Narikaton) is an island nation located off the south-west coast of Artania. It controls four overseas colonies, including Darnussia, which, after 3000 years of unification, split with Narikaton before incorporated into the Narikatonite Empire. It is the thirtieth most populous country on Terra with 389,738,659 people, and an area of 913,200 km², resulting in a population density of 426.78 people / km², the twentieth-first highest on Terra. It has three major cities: Merenbürg, Podrueja and Moete. Narikaton was the result of the Unification War of Darnussia, and evolved into the Kingdom of Darnussia. Modern Darnussia has suffered two civil wars and been occupied by two foreign powers in the previous millennium. War between the Jewish population and the Hobaists was the main cause of violence in the 24th Century. Tension between the Islander peoples and the Mainlanders was the main cause of the 2585-2599 war. As an eventual result of the war, Darnussia became the Empire of Narikaton and Darnussia and after the Deimore Incident, Darnussia became a disorganised, anarchistic nation-state. Between 2760 - 3033, it was a conservative, federal republic, but an uprising in 3033, turned the nation into the Second Republic. When civil war broke out in 3122, Narikaton once again split from Darnussia, before setting out on a global conquest for colonial lands, including what was once the old mainland of Darnussia, which soon got bogged down in the very violent Darnus-Narik War, as Narikaton tried to control its new colony. Political instability has been commonplace in Narikaton throughout its history. Various ethnic minority groups have held power for long periods, especially during the second half of the twenty-third century, while civil war, genocides and political "cleansing's" have raped Darnussia and Narikaton of peace throughout it's modern history. The most arguably stable period was the Darnussian Democratic Republic, until even that modern, liberal democracy was consumed by the flames of war. Since then, various political parties have attempted to stitch the wounded nation back together, but war runs in the blood through the veins of the Darnussian people, and disunity, petty squabbles and sectarian hatred keeps this once great nation from stepping back onto its feet. =History= :Main article: History of Darnussia Beginning of a Civilization The first people that settled in the area known the Darnussia consisted of many different ethnic groups. The most dominant ethnic group was the Semitic peoples who ruled mainly from the Island of Narikaton. They followed an offshoot of Judaism and called themselves Narikatonites. The Narikatonite version of Judiasm combined pagan Gods with the Judiasm, making it unique in Terra. In the years of 550-564 there was a large emigration of Jews leaving Darnussia via sailboats, sailing to modern day Beiteynu. However, many also remained, where they had established communities and deep roots. In other parts of modern Darnussia, small city states, colonies, and baronies emerged during this era; while their local power waxed and waned, most paid tribute to one or more of the Narikatonite states, due to their power; particularly over the seas on which all of Darnussia has long depended on as a food source. By 715, the War of Narikatonite Succession erupted, mainly on Narikaton Island, between several different men who wanted to be crowned King of the entire island of Narikaton; in the end Darntus the Flying was crowned King of the Darnussians. King Darntus I named his country and countrymen Darnussians after himself. Within a few years, he had unified most of modern-Day Darnussia, after engaging in wars of conquest and occasional diplomatic success during the Unification War of Darnussia. Kingdom of Darnussia :Full Article on Kingdom of Darnussia Once King Darntus I was crowned King, according to legend, he rewarded every Darnussian man a cow and every Darnussian women with a Chicken. These reforms were well received by the public and King Darntus maintained high morale everywhere, according to legend. Near the end of his long reign it is said that King Darntus I became insane and he tried to jump off a large temple so he could prove to everyone that he could fly, he hit the ground and died. The nobles appointed King Darntus's son King Darntus II to be his successor. King Darntus II was widely known to be the opposite of his father, he ruled with an iron fist and his many reform policies failed. King Darntus II, in a last attempt to recharge his splintering Kingdom enslaved the remaining Jewish population, wbo by then had become a minority even on Narikaton. Darntus II ruled for 23 years; his reign ended when he was murdered - according to legend, he was killed by a Jewish women who he tried to rape. With his death, and the earlier death of his son in battle, the direct line of Darntus I ended. However, the Kingdom of Darnussia would be ruled by different Kings of different noble families for many decades to come. Last King of Darnussia The last absolute monarch of Darnussia was King Cecil I. It was widely rumored that Cecil was gay, and held massive orgies in the Royal Palace. In reaction to religious protests, Cecil I declared Darnussia a secular state in 1966. What happened next was a bizarre twist of events then eventually led to the downfall of the Darnussian monarchy, ultimately culminating in what was believed to be a palace assassination of the King by his own bodyguards, and the discovery of the King's dismembered corpse near the beach. A cycle of assassinations and counter-assassinations began, as secular nobles and religious nobles warred for control. After Cecil's death, the throne should have gone to Cecil's brother, Kain. However, Kain was assassinated before he could return to the capital. Ultimately, their cousin Darntus was deemed the next successor (he had been 28th in the line the day Cecil died). Darntus XIII (so-called although he was never actually crowned) successfully transitioned Darnussia into a Republic, The Most Serene Republic of Darnussia, and declared that it would be headed by the Secretary General. Initially, the Secretary General was a joint appointee of the Nobility and the Church, but it became a directly elected position by 2050. Early modern era (2000 - 2351) War with Beiteynu In 2124 the government of Beiteynu declared war upon Darnussia, as they claimed that Darnussia was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction. They also claimed that the Jewish population living in Darnussia were being oppressed. An eventual stalemate occurred between the Darnussian forces and the Beitenyuanse forces with neither side obtaining victory. Lusitânia :Main article: Lusitânia By 2256, the Most Serene Republic was in deep trouble, due to internal corruption and a severe economic downturn. Dom Duarte II, the so-called Reino da Lusitania, took control of the nation, ruling for two decades as the nominal King (although in practice, he had to defer to the legislature for most functions), claiming descent from Darntus XIII's line. Although he initially enjoyed broad popular support, allowing him to actually be elected head of state before forcing the parliament to crown him, his reign became bitterly opposed after military and economic misadventures threatened to bankrupt the nation. In 2276, Parliament deposed the King, forcing new elections for the position of President, and forming the Republica da Lusitania. This was in some ways a Democracy-in-name-only, however, as continued use of the Lusitanian language in law and politics made the system inaccessable to most Darnussian subjects. Deltarian Protectorate In 2317, the Republic of Lusitania was overthrown after a surprise invasion from Deltaria. Sebastian I was made Czar by the Deltarians, and the former legislature was deposed. The government was moved from its ancient capital of Merenbürg to the industrial port city of Red Stad, which had long been the economic engine of the nation. Almost immediately, the National Socialist movement, which had originally been an anti-Lusitanian movement, began to spread resistance against the Deltarians, and was especially powerful among the working class of Red Stad. Protests and sabotage was the order of the day, as the Darnussian people attempted to resist their Deltarian masters. Within a few years, the National Socialists believed they had the popular support to overthrow the Deltarians, and reassert independence. Several attempts were launched; in Alkavon in 2321 and in Clenon in 2322. By far the biggest attempt to end Deltarian rule was the Revolution of 2323. This ended in failure as many Darnussians died and Red Stad was hit by a nuclear weapon, when Deltarians decided they could no longer hold the city. The nuclear scars survive to this day, in the form of the "Nuclear Slums" of Red Stad. The Deltarians "temporarily" moved their capitol to nearby Doressa. One of the oldest surviving news reports of the era states: The Doressa Age (2351 - 2599) The rulers of Darnussia, Deltársky Kuklaci, finally left the country in 2338. This was the first stage of Independence. Still under occupation, Darnussia became free from Imperial Parties. In February 2351, the Occupational Government voted to leave the country. Finally, independence was gained. Great Democratic Republic and the First Darnussian Civil War :''Main article: First Darnussian Civil War The Darnussian provisional government named the newly independent state the Great Democratic Republic of Darnussia (GDR), retaining the old Deltarian capitol at Doressa rather than returning to Merenbürg, mainly because of the years of infrastructure the Deltarians left behind, and a feeling that Merenbürg was "ancient history" better off forgotten. For the first time in Darnussian history, the Mainland provinces held sway over the Islands, and Narikaton, in particular, would not forget. This early decision by the GDR would end up naming the entire age that began in 2351 and ended at the end of the 2500s - the Doressa Age, after Darnussia's new capital city. After the 2350 Revolution and liberation of Darnussia, the Revolutionary Parties drifted against eachother. Two of the main sides were Hobaists, supported by the Imperial Power Party, and Jews, heavily supported by the Popular Revolutionary Front and Jews of Beiteynu. Tensions were rising and the common Darnussians were forced to pick either minority's side. First Darnussian Civil War began in 2354 after several terrorist attacks in Doressa and in Clenon, which were commited by the PRF. The civil war that followed was bloody in Nihaton and Clenon, where Hobaists and Christians were murdered, and some Jews were murdered as revenge. It led to many christian Darnussians siding with the Hobaists which ensured Imperial Power Party's success in the future. The war ended in IPP's victory, which was helped by Hobrazias intensions to intervene in the war. The Hobrazian Protectorate :Main article: Imperial Hobrazian Protectorate of Independent Darnussia The Imperial Hobrazian Protectorate of Independent Darnussia (IHPID) was proclaimed in 2370, and lasted until 2373. This was the result of the Imperial Power Party seizing the Parliament, and instituting a state religion of Hobaism and an official recognition of Hobrazia as sovereign over Darnussia. This brief attempt to become a fief of Hobrazia was doomed from the beginning, as popular protests and a general strike effectively shut the entire nation down. Once Hobrazia finally, and definitively, rejected IPP claims that Darnussia was part of Hobrazia, the IHPID fell, and the new Provisional Government was seated in 2373 - their first act was to remove the Hobrazian and IHPID flags from the interior of the Parliament chambers. Although both flags had been burned during the protests regularly, the Hobrazian flag was ordered returned, with military honors, to the Hobrazian Ambassador. The IHPID flag, on the other hand, was shredded and mixed with 63 pounds of fresh manure, sealed in an airtight container, and orders were given that the casket would be buried with the self-proclaimed Emperess Julia upon her death. Julia ultimately died overseas, and the casket remains on display in Doressa's Museum of History to this day. Darnussian Democratic Republic :Main article: Darnussian Democratic Republic In 2373, the Provisional Government proclaimed the Darnussian Democratic Republic (DDR). Kevin Howard was elected the first President in 2379, after his service as Provisional President since 2374. His only serious challenger, in fact, was the deposed Empress, who still held a loyal following among converted Hobarists. Her strength in the election, despite her past actions, so troubled the new government, that it was likely the #1 cause of Julia's exile; the fear that her movement could be restored. It also ushered in the so-called Darnussian Inquisition, under which Hobarists in Darnussia were severely repressed, as a matter of "state security". As late as 2377, Hobaists made up nearly a third of all Darnussians. Laws in every State, and some Federal laws, made life increasingly difficult for Hobaists. One law notably required all government employees to swear allegiance to the DDR in the specific event of war against Hobrazia, random arrests of known Hobaists, and the banning of certain government positions to those who had ever followed Hobaism, critically including forbidding them from serving on juries, as judges, or as attorneys. Although initially supportive of the Hobaist crackdown, the leadership of Darnussia's Jewish population began to grow increasingly concerned with the persecution as the years passed. Current scholars now believe that this resistance planted the seeds of the actions that would lead to the Deimore Incident two centuries later. Increasingly, religious people and (ironically enough) neo-monarchists tended to dominate the politics of the DDR, culminating in the early 2400s with the birth of the Darnussian Liberation Army (then known as United Darnussia). Prior to the 2410s, the National Conservative Patriotic Party tended to dominate the DDR. After the 2410s, the torch was clearly passed from the neo-Patriots to the neo-Nationalists. Increasingly, rhetoric was anti-Hobaist and anti-Jewish, and pro-monarchist, looking increasingly to Merenbürg for inspiration, however, the period between 2400-2550 was arguably the most stable period of Darnussian history. Imperial Age to democracy (2599 - 3033) The Second Civil War :Main Article: Second Darnussian Civil War After Darnussia had seen two hundred years of unified and independent government, the state of Narikaton declared its independence as the Imperia Narikaton (Narikaton Empire). Nihaton and Clenon soon joined Narikaton and soon began threatning Darnussia's freedom. With the government left in control by the Communist's, Darnussia became the People's Republic of Darnussia, a socialist state. The People's Republic and Narikaton declared war on each other. Five other international forces became involved and both sides ultimately battled each other to exhaustion. The People's Republic of Darnussia finally surrendered, and negotiations began. It was finally agreed that Imperia Narikaton and the People's Republic of Darnussia would come together as one and become the United Republic of Narikaton and Darnussia, ending two centuries of rule from Doressa. United Republic :Main article: United Republic The United Republic of Narikaton and Darnussia was a clumsy, and at times incomprehensible, government which attempted to marry absolute monarchy with democratic ideals. The three island Duchies remained in an oath of fealty to Grand Duchess Antoiniette von Raux, as did many of the recombined military officers. Meanwhile, the Union President, officially the elected head of state, had "just about enough power to wipe his own nose," but was the official to whom the military was Constitutionally obliged to follow. The Empire re-emerges :Main article: Empire of Narikaton and Darnussia The Union Presidency, however, became far more powerful under Claude Deimore, who was elected in 2623. His position, initially coming with both Imperial and Popular blessing, led to his rise to near dictatorial levels of power, as Antoniette effectively became a figurehead and the legislature was placed under the iron fist of the President. With the fall of the Social Democrats, the only party holding the UR together, Deimore was proclaimed Imperial Viceroy, and in effect had seized more power than any man since King Cecil I. It took over a decade, but the Republican factions ultimately united (some say with the covert blessing of the Empress herself), and moved to depose Deimore once they could secure control over the military. The attempt at deposing the Viceroy led directly to the Deimore Incident, in which elements of his party's paramilitary forces used nuclear weapons on civilian targets in Clenon and Nihaton. Deimore reputedly blamed his impending removal from office on the Jewish minorities in those provinces, and intended his actions as revenge. Deimore is believed to have shot himself shortly after the news broke of mushroom clouds on Island of Shirmania. Many conspiracy theorists, however, believe Deimore escaped, and lived the rest of his days in Pontesi, where he was born and raised. Post-Imperial Darnussia, Soviet Republic and the Federal Republic :Main article: Post-Imperial Darnussia A period of anarchistic revolutionary rule followed until 2797, when a communist dictatorship known as Soviet Socialist Republic of Darnussia was implemented. The totalitarian regime of Communist Party of Darnussian Republic lasted for over 20 years, when Nationalist Forces created the Federal Republic of Darnussia in 2819. It was this 215-year period from 2819 to 3033 that could be considered the most stable and peaceful in Darnussian history. With the outlawing of paramilitaries, as well as the crushing of Narik nationalism in the early days, the federal republic saw little notable events. While Kozarian nationalism played a small role in politics, it was the re-emergence of the Red Stad Communist Front as the Communist Party of Darnussia that had the greatest long-term effect on Darnussia. Their long-term aim to restore the Darnussian Democratic Republic was finally achieved when, amid riots and uprisings calling for reform, the Second Darnussian Democratic Republic was born. Second Doressa Age (3033 - present) With the Second DDR proclaimed, it was hoped this would bring a new era of peace and stability. In fact, it brought even more bloodshed and destruction than its predecessors. Very quickly, reactionary groups attempted to collapse the new DDR, but were defeated. Then, perhaps most damaging to the reputation of the new republic, was the start of the war between Darnussia and Keymon. The Darnussia-Keymon War :Main article: Darnussia-Keymon War In 3033, a secret government document leaked that outlined plans to invade the Island nation of Keymon which they believed to be holding criminal Lusitanian and Narik nationalists. In response to the invasion plans, the nation of Keymon declared war on Darnussia and as soon as the Darnussian troops mobilized in response, Keymon fired a nuclear bomb at Merenburg, killing 96,000 citizens. Keymon made some successes with the help of their Hutorian allies in establishing a naval blockade around Darnussia and committing nearly nightly aerial bombardments of Darnussian cities. The war forced Darnussia to impose conscription on its citizens and this combined with the addition of Luthori, Juclandian and Malivian allies, led to a decisive advance for the Darnussian side of the war. After the battle of Jan, a major naval victory for Darnussia, the Hutori backed out of the war and Keymon was quickly conquered by the Pro-Darnussian alliance in 3037. Darnussia placed Keymon under military occupation until 3051. Narik uprising :Main article: Narik Uprising The Narik National Army was founded in March 3067, and almost immediately proclaimed the independence of Narikaton. However, unlike the previous time, the Army did not mutiny and flock to join independent Narikaton. Instead, President Laurence Frank declared all generals must swear complete alligiance to the union before a revolt could occur. A guerilla campaign began with the NNA attacking Darnussian police and army instillations. This campaign of bombings, shootings and murders cost 1,300 people their lives, including 300 Darnussian soldiers, and 400 policemen from the Narikaton, Clenon and Nihaton Police. However, what was unprecedented was the large number of Narik unionists who rushed to join unionist paramilitaries, and the lack of enthusiasm for the Narik cause amongst the islander population. With the failure of the NNA's attempts to cause an army mutiny, they declared a mass uprising in June 3069, and attempted to take the major cities of Merenburg, Podrueja and Moete. Many people rushed to join the NNA, but the army was one step ahead of them. Within sixteen hours of the declaration of independence, the Darnussian Army and the Republican Guard had attacked major NNA positions within the cities. The fighting was short but bitter, and 10,500 people were killed in the battle between the NNA and the army. The NNA were crushed in the 10 hour street-fighting, and the NNA and their political wing, the Narik National Party (NNP) were quickly illegalised and heavily prosecuted. Third Civil War and the Narikatonite Empire Overview =Geography= Physical Geography Rivers On Darnussia's mainland there are three major rivers. The southernmost river is the River Cerrot, which is the longest and largest river system in Darnussia, as well as the second longest river in Artania. The main river flows from the Eastern Highlands in Hobrazia into Darnussia. It has many smaller rivers flowing from the south from Malivia into the Cerrot. The area south of the Cerrot in Darnussia is informally called the Cerrot Delta. The Cerrot flows into the Bay of Migrant. The broadest river is the River Krähe, which is the northernmost in all of Darnussia. It flows south from the Great Lake of Alkavon in the Central Artanian Mountains, and into the Inner Sea of Darnussia. At its delta is the city of Ghacrow, the largest city in Darnussia. The river that separates Kozaria from Alkavon is the Red River. The city of Red Stadis situated along its banks. At it's mouth is a large delta, consisting of six major passages of water. The river flows from soithern Luthori, though Hobrazia and into Darnussia. On the island of Narikaton, there is only really one major river system, the River Meliör. At its delta is situated the Darnussian capital, Merenbürg. It flows from the central Narik mountains. Smaller rivers exist on Narikaton, and these are central to many population zones. On Shirmania, there are four major river systems, the River Moete, the River Anjord, the River Brejan and the Fjord River. Darnussia was once almost completely covered with forest, but thousands of years of civilisation had it's toll on the nature and have changed it radically. Most of the old forest were cut down to build houses and ships to sail over the Migrant's Pass. There are three major rivers in the Darnussia's mainland. The River Ghacrow is broadest of them if counted with the amount of water and it flows from the Great Lake of Alkavon to the Bay of Migrant. Ghacrow, the once-largest city in the Darnussia, was built at it's delta. The Red River is the strongest and broadest of the Darnussian rivers and it goes through Northern Red Stad and flows to the Bay of Migrant. The third large river is Cerrot River that flows from Malivia to Bay of Migrant. There are also Alkavon Mountains at the very border of Alkavon and Beluzia. Other parts of Darnussia consist mainly from the two islands at Migrant's Pass, Island of Narikaton and Island of Shirmania. Both of the islands have high mountains and they are relatively far from the mainland, which once caused some cultural differences between the mainland Darnussians and the Darnussians of Jewish Descent in the islands. There are also smaller islands at the middle of the Inner Sea of Darnussia known as the Migrant Islands. They are relatively small and are considered being part of Nihaton. Regions Alkavon Alkavon is one of the two mainland Provinces of Darnussia and it is also the most populated part of the entire country. Ghacrow, destroyed in the Second Civil War, was once the largest city in the entire nation. The population in Alkavon is home to the largest number of Lusitânians in Darnussia. People in Alkavon have somewhat conservative views, but they are not as religious as many other Darnussian conservatives are. Majority of Alkavon could be described as Moderate Liberals. Clenon Clenon is the 2nd largest Province in the Darnussia and it's capital is Podrueja. Historically, Clenon was the Darnussian region with the highest percentage of practitioners of Judiasm. Clenon was hit the hardest by the Deimore Incident, but a generational program of soil treatment has restored life to the portions of Clenon once too irradiated to reside in. Narikaton Narikaton is one of the wealthiest regions in Darnussia, but they also have the largest unemployment rate. Nariks are mildly secular in their religious views, but at the same time very restrictive in civil rights. The capital of Narikaton, and of all of Darnussia, is Merenbürg. Narikaton was the strongest Duchy during the Imperial era, with nearly all of the power of the nation. After the monarchy was deposed, however, Narikaton's power has waned. Narikaton is a stronghold for the right-wing political parties. Nihaton Nihaton is the wealthiest province of the Darnussia and the core of the Darnussian Islands. Nihaton's capital is Moete. People in Nihaton are not right- or leftwing and they could be described as Moderate Capitalists. Neighboring Clenon, Nihaton was historically also a Jewish-majority region, but has gradually become increasingly Lutheran, particularly after Jewish emigration during the late Imperial era. In general people of Nihaton are secular-leaning. Most of the Deltarian Minority lives in Nihaton. Kozaria Recently for over 100 years known as Aran Beatha, Kozaria is the southernmost province in Darnussia. Residents of Kozaria are generally progressive, but restrictive in civil rights. They are slightly religious and capitalist. Most Kozarians are converts to Catholicism, though many Protestants remain. There is also major Hobrazian minority in Aran Beatha. The capital of the state is Red Stad and the destroyed former capital city, Doressa, is also in Kozaria. Kozaria is one of the most politically divided areas in Darnussia, from extreme right-wing nationalists to traditional communists. Kozarian Nationalism is a growing force, with Kozarians wishing to leave a union with the islands and start a new, socialist state on the mainland, just like the People's Republic of Darnussia. As a result, Kozaria is a stonghold of the Communists, and other left-wing parties. =Politics and Economics= Politics The politics of modern day Darnussia is as diverse as it has been for centuries. Between 2750-2900, moderate powers rose to become the mainstream politics of the day, but the hardcore stances of old have returned, and hard-line socialism and fascism are once again the norm of Darnussian politics Conservatism is strong in Darnussian society, with old imperialist, fascist and nationalist being swept aside for new, more moderate conservative movements. However, Communism and harline socialism, be it revolutionary or simply political, is still a large movement in the democratic republic. Parliament The Paliament of Darnussia has 301 seats, all of which are elected by proportional representation by the people of Darnussia. The INM is the largest party with 71 seats (24.38%). The Citizen's Union of Darnussia makes up the opposition, with 56 seats (18.6%). An election is held every 3 and a half years. The Head of State is the President of Darnussia. He/she is elected at the same time as parliament, and holds mostly ceramonial duties, and in reality, has little power. The Head of Government is the Chancellor of the Republic. Coalitions play an important role in Presidential Elections, and currently there are three Presidential coalitions: the leading Pro-Narikaton Coalition, Darnussian Conservative Coalition and Left-Wing Coalition. In order of date of foundation Government The cabinet is lead by the Imperial Narikaton Movement (INM). It is a majority right-wing, but formed Authoritarian coalition consisting of the INM, the Narikatonite Royalist Army and the Darnussian National Party. Narikatonite Nationalism :Main article: Narikatonite Nationalism Narik or Narikatonite nationalism is a movement that aims to see Narikaton and the islands gain independence from Darnussia. In 2600, this reached a peak, with a very violent and destructive civil war. After this, the Nariks gained control of the entire country, and placed it under an authoritarian military dictatorship. With the fall of the Nariks, the movement was banned, but has began to pick up again in the last few decades. Narik nationalists tend to be on the right to far-right on the spectrum, favouring monarchy, militarism and a strong central government. However, with the second rise of Narik nationalism, a new brand has appeard - Narik Socialism. These groups wish to gain independence peacefully, and and establish a new, Narik democratic state. The rise of new hardcore Narikatonite nationalist parties, such as the Narikatonite Royalist Army and the Imperial Narikaton Movement, has given rise to fears of a third major civil war in recent years. Other groups Paramilitary groups, such as the People's Revolutionary Army, play an important role in politics today, as does Kozarian nationalism. It is their actions that can sometimes cause major changes in legislation, or on the contray. Pressure groups are small, but can cause major laws to come through parliament with the right lobbying. Economics Despite Darnussian skepticism of collectivistic ideas, Darnussian society is remarkably egalitarian in economic matters. Partially because the elites of the upper classes were mostly the nobility, whose wealth and titles were stripped in the last revolution, and partially because of strong social expectations regarding inheritances, there are relatively few idle rich in Darnussia today; while an upper class of corporate executives and professionals exists, the division between upper and middle class is blurred, with a dominant middle class making up approximately 70% of the nation's population, depending on how it is calculated. Darnussian's economic stratification is largely race-based; minorities are twelve times more likely to be lower-class economically than ethnic Darnussi or Nariks. The average Darnussian worked longer hours (59 hours per week), and has shorter vacations (1.9 weeks per year) than his Terran peers in the first half of the last millenium. These factors contributed to making Darnussia one of Terra's most richest societies. However, productivity began to slow with the growth of left-wing politics, and Darnussia's wealth dried up completely with the beginning of the second Civil War. Industry and agriculture Darnussia has a high level of industry, especially in the Mainland. Steel and iron are Darnussia's two highest exports, with Red Stad steel being considered to be of some of the highest quality in Terra. Steel and iron works dominate the economic output of Kozaria, while coal mining and manufacturing are the major industries in Alkavon. While there are some smaller manufacturing and light industries on the Islands, services, finance and fishing remain the major source of income for Narikaton and Shirmania. Agriculture was once the highest source of income for Darnussia, as was with most early nations. However, due to restricted land area, Darnussia began to rely heavily on exports from Luthori and Hulstria. However, this resulted in a serious food scare when imports from these countries were abruptly stopped fallowing a harsh winter. Darnussia was in serious danger of a famine until the crisis was averted by a well negotiated treaty with Zardugal thanks mainly in Darnussia to the help of food and agriculture minister, Silvio Kolmonetti. Exports =Military= Armed Forces of the Republic Darnussian Armed Forces of the Republic The Darnussian armed forces are officially called the Darnussian Armed Forces of the Republic. They consist of the Army, Navy and Air Force. All four groups are volunteer forces, overall consisting of 1,200,000 men and women. There is a volunteer reserve force, consisting of part-time soldiers who would be called up in the event of a war. This force contains 3,400,000 volunteers. They last saw serious combat in the Darnussia-Keymon War in 3035, particularly the navy, who suffered heavy losses; but before then, they saw very little action at all. They were, however, used extensively alongside the Police during the Narik Uprising in 3069. Nuclear weapons are banned from the military, and are an strictly conventional army. Despite once, in the days of the Narik Empire, being considered to be one of the strongest and most reliable armies in the world, they fell into disuse after the Deimore Incident, and with the rise of the Federal Republic, were not required. Until 3035, they were considered very poorly trained, equipped and battle-hardened. Paramilitaries Paramilitaries have always played a highly important role in Darnussia throughout history. It was revolutionary groups and paramilitaries that freed Darnussia from Deltaria and Hobrazia. Paramilitaries were an accepted and legal part of politics throughout the second half of the DDR, and during the second civil war, were vital in helping communist and republican forces. Despite their illegalisation with the rise of the Federal Republic, they stayed in fashion, and they still maintain a heavy presence, albeit illegally, in Darnussia today. There are six known major paramilitary groups in Darnussia at present. Those in italics represent those labelled as a terror group by the Darnussian government: *Darnussian National Socialist Army (DNSA) *GreenShirts (GS) *''Real People's Revolutionary Army (RPRA)'' *''Narik National Army (NNA)'' *''United Front for the Liberation of Lusitania (UFLL)'' =Society and Culture= Darnussia has always been a somewhat conservative society at its core, slow to adopt social change, and slower to evolve. A consequence of this is that, when change does occur, it is often sudden and violent. No revolution, however, can shake the Darnussian belief in individual responsibility over collectivity, strong sense of religious faith, or its environmental skepticism, despite any and all evidence showing the effect of Man on his environment. Darnussians are fiercely militant, but also fiercely loyal to the idea of the "just war," having suffered grievously from civil war and invasion in the past. A generational program of cross-cultural unification between mainland Darnussi and Nariks from the islands is proceeding, largely through incentives, and public-private partnerships, in an effort to shatter any remaining nationalism aspirations from either side of the former civil wars. As a result, over 40% of native born adult Darnussians live in a province other than the one they were born in, and more than 20% of island-born Darnussians live on the mainland, and vice versa. Public holidays Culture Darnussian culture is extremely different between ethnic groups. Some Darnussians are Catholic whether they are apart of the Terran or Orthodox Catholic Church. Catholics in Darnussia outnumber Lutherans, but the division between Catholics leaves the Lutherans as the largest single sect. Darnussians are often against large immigration from foreign countries, as the Darnussians have been quite xenophobic because of the so many foreign powers that have conquered them. The Darnussians heavily relied on fishing to support their country and themselves. Religion When the Kingdom of Darnussia imposed Christianity as the state religion, they became one of the earliest pagan nations to adopt Christianity. In doing so, the large Catholic majorities exist because of when Christianity was imposed as the State Religion. About 75% of Darnussians identify themselves as Christians. Thus Christianity acts as a strong influence on people’s daily lives. Going further back into history, Darnussia was founded by pagans, Jews, and pagans who held some Jewish ideals. Thus there is a large Jewish minority living in Darnussia, most are ancestors of those who lived in the ancient era others are refugees from Beiteynu. Many of the Darnussian Jews follow Messianic Judaism, a view that holds Jesus as the Messiah. Other Jews in Darnussia do not consider Messianic Jews real Jews, instead follow Orthodox Judaism. Food Darnussian food is very old, the cuisine dates back to the 15th century. The Darnussians are famous for their unique dishes; they frequently use many recipes involving fish and salt. Sport :See also: Football in Darnussia Like in any country, sports have always been popular in Darnussia. Football (soccer) is the national sport and it is most popular. The Darnussian Football League is highly followed. Some of the most popular sports include Football (Gridiron), Hockey, and Basketball. Darnussia also has a national football team. They will be entering in the next world cup. Demographics Language :Main Article: Darnussian Language *52% Narik *41% Darnus *5% Lusitânian *2% Other Note: Public education forces every student to study both, Darnus and Narik, so everyone understands at least some level of their 2nd Darnussian language. Increasingly, the two languages are merging, particularly in Nihaton and Kozaria. Ethnicity Note: Exact figures are hard to come by. These are the most recent estimates. *74% Darnussian 40% Nariki 34% Kozari *7% Darnussian Jews *4% Pontesian *6% Lusitânian *3% Deltarian *6% Other Religion *35% Orthodox Catholicism *34% Lutheran Protestantism *9% No religion *8% Terran Catholicism *7% Judaism *3% Hobaism *2% Islam *2% Other